Michael f



(NO Model.)

M. F DAVIS.

- OAR.

Patented Jil lle, 4, 1895. V

"HNH l HINH ll UNITED STATES .FATINT OFFICE.

MICHAEL F. DAVIS, OFDETROI'P, MIOHIGAN.

OAR-

SPE'IFIC'A'IIION' forming' part of Letters Patent No. 540,581, dated .Tune 4, 1895.

Application tiled March 30, 1 8 95 To t'JoZZ whom; z' motg concern.= Be it known that I, MICHAEL F. DAVIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State ot' Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oars, and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others Skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

' In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis' an elevation of the loom of an car or sweep having present iuvention. Fig. 2 isa perspective view Of the rowlock-section of an oar or loorn to which my invention is applied, the oar being on the pull. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the rowlock-section of this oai' or sweep as in position in a rowlock, the oar being on the feather. Fig. 4c is a perspective view Of the car or sweep, showing the same on the feather. Fig. 5 isa detail view of the projection or stud forming the stop.

This invention relates to improvements in oars or sweeps on which a collar or button is used on the inboard part of the row lock Section to come in contact with the inner face of the row lock, and the novelty in the present instance consists in providing on the loorn of the oar or sweep, or its row lock section, studs,

projections or stops on its body at such distance from the said collar that in use it "will be located outside of the lock, the row lock pins coming between the button or collar and stop. The use and. advantage of: the stud, projection, or stop in connection with the collar and the row lock are that the oar or sweep can be held fixed or rigid on the feather, and. thus enable the oarsman to avoid any disadvantage in the way of the Wind striking against the blade of the oar orsweep. This action of the wind instriking the'blade of the oar or sweep as heretofore made has tended greatly to lesson the speed of: the boat as the wind naturally impinging against the blade of the oar or sweep tended to turn the blade against the wind and greatly retard the speed of the boat; but by my invention the oar or sweep being placed and held in fixed position on the feather, that is, With its blade parallel to the water line, the wind having then no surface, or but the slightest, to act on passes harmlessly by, as it cannot turn the blade so Serial NO.`543.864. (illo model.)

asto expose its surface perpendicularly to man's power, as he does not need to exert any in holding the Car or sweep so as to resist the action ot' wind or water upon it; allthisbeing accomplished by the fixed position of the' oar or sweep on the feather as has been above explained. p

In the accompanying drawings A denotes this oar or sweep, which, except so far as my invention is applied, may be of any ordinary or usual construction. On the row lock section is Secured ,the collar or buttonB, which also may be of any ordina'ry structure. 'At a slight remove from the collar and outwardly on this section and so as to come in suitable position for the uses in connection With the row lock, to be hereinafter explained, are fixed the studs, projections, or stops, C', 0 Each stud, projection or stop is made in any desirable way, but a preferable structure is to have an 'upwardly projecting pin or screw c attached or fixed in a frame C, which is securely fastened to the loom of the oar, the pin and frame being made of metal. About the pin or screw O is the non-metallic and. preferably rotatable sleeve c which is held in place by the head of the pin or screw. As thus 1nade the oar or sweep is applied in the oar lock E, so that the collar or button B comes on the inboard side of the lock, and the studs, projections or stops -on the outside one O' adapted to act on the outwardly extending stop or projection 8, of the upright 6' of the row lock when the oaris on the feather, and tlle other (3 on the uprigllt 6 of the lock when the`oar is on the pull. As thus applied to and used in the lock, the oar or sweep is free for all the usual or desired movements in rowing, zc., but when the oar or sweep is on the feather, since the collar or button comes against the row lock upright, the oar or sweep will be held fixed with its blade in an edgewise position, so that the wind or water will IOO have no appreciable surface to act upon,ancl Will go harmlessly past the same. This is a matter ot' very large importance, as` every oarsman knows full well, and by thus removing surface from the action of the Wind or water there is a very considerable salvage in the expenditure of the oarsmans strength.

Prior to my invention not only did the Wind or water tend to act against the blade of the oar or svveep so as to throw it up at right angles more or less, With the Wind or water, but in order to prevent this harmful action and keep the car or sweep edgewise to the Wind or water the oarsman was obliged to exert very considerable power to his evident loss of force and serious danger in the meantime by the ad ditional loss through mental strains.

So far as I know, after a very considerable experience in this class of invention, no means thus far have been dovised Which Will accomplish mechanically the objects I have now in view. The covering of the pin or screw beng non-metallic prevents any click or noise in its use, and being rotatalole can be turned round to take up Wear.

The projections, studs, or stops C' C have each incidentally other functions in use, such as stopping the inboard movement of the car or sweep by impinging against the outboard side of the row lock.

While for the purpose of clearly illustratng my invention I have shown a collar or button on the oar adapted to come on the inside of the row lock and an outwardly eX- tending arm from the row lock, and a stud, pin, projection or stop on the oar adapted to come in contact Wi ill the said arm, it will be plain to all Skilled in the art thatin the more matter of structural detail many changes can be made without in the least departing from the aim and scope of my invention, the essential ideas of which are providing on the oar substantially a collar, button or equivalent means to engage upon the inboard face of the row lock, and also a pin, stud, projec tion or stop on the oar loom to engage on 1Some part outwardly projecting from the row ock.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a rowlock, having the usual uprights and an outward extend" ing projection on the outlooard portion of one, of an oar provided With a collar on the inboard portion of the row lock section and studs or stops ontl1e outward portion, adapted to en gage respectively With the outwardly extending projection of one npright and the outer face of the other, substantially as described.

2. The combination With an open I'OW lock having an outward projection or stop, of the oar having a collar on its inboard portion, and a projection on its outboard portion adapted to engage With said outwardly eX- tending stop or projection, substantially as described.

3. The combination 'with a row lock having the usual uprights and an outwardlyprojecting stop on one of the nprights thereof, of an oar having on its row lock section studs or projections on the outward portion, cach provided With a non-metallic cover rotatable thereon, and atlapted to engage respectively With said uprights, sulestantially as described.

4c. The oar or sweep having on its loom the collar B and pins, stops, or projections c', c combined With the I'OW lock E,whereloy the collar permits the outer movement of the oar or svveep and the pins, stops, or projections the inner movement respectively on the feather and on the pull, substantially as described.

5. The above described oai' having on its I'OW lock section a collar or button and at a siight distance outwardly from this, and entirely nnconnected With it, stops, studs or projections adapted to engage With the nprights of a row lock, substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a rowing apparatus, a standard se: cured on the gnnwa le of the boat, and an open upright oar lock pivoted therein, said oar lock having a projection on its outhoard face, the oar provided with a collar on its inboard portion and having studs or stops on the ontboard portion, and adapterl to engage respectively With the outwardly extencling projection of one upriglit of the oar lock, and With the outer face of the other npright, substantially as described.

7. The combination With an open rowlock having a projection on its outhoard face, of an car having a collar on its inboard portion, and 'a projection on its outboard portion adapted to engage With the said outwardly extending projections of the oar-lock, substantially as described.

In testimony Whereof I atiix my signature in presence of two wiinesses.

MIOI-IAFJL F. DAVIS. Witnesses:

lI. M. STEEL NO, L. DEANE.

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